Feathers in the Wind
by Lelila1
Summary: Three years after the wars of Gaea, everything seems to be running perfectly. However, a new foe threatens to bring Gaea back into turmoil. When Van's life is endangered, Hitomi is forced back into the chaos of Gaea to help the man she loves and protect t
1. One

Untitled "Ready…"  
"Set…"  
"Go…"  
The racers were fast off the blocks as they rushed past their team members and spectators. Hitomi Kanzaki watched, her eyes intent on one particular figure. He rushed ahead, passing the others, a full head in front. His tall, well-built figure was bent over in concentration; his shoulder-length chocolate hair was flying behind him.  
"Come on! Let's go, Amano Senpai!" Hitomi jumped from the bleachers, her hands clenched at her chest, "You can do it! Win this heat!"  
"Come on, Amano!" Yukari had jumped up as well, she was laughing, jumping up ecstatically.  
The two friends watched with held breaths until the man crossed the finish line, far ahead of his competitors.  
"Yes!" The two said simultaneously, glancing at each other and laughing. "He did it!"  
"Come on, Hitomi." Yukari had grabbed her hand, "Let's go down and congratulate him."  
"Hey… slow down, Yukari!" Hitomi laughed, following her eager friend, "He's your boyfriend, not mine!"  
Yukari giggled already giving up on Hitomi and bounding towards Amano at top speed.  
Hitomi watched her two friends, smiling inwardly to herself. She was happy for them, happy that they were together. They were her only true friends left, and they believed in her. They were the only ones who understood her, and they knew about everything that had happened to her in the past. She sighed, allowing herself a glance up in the sky. She knew that somewhere up there, would be the hidden planet of Gaea.  
"That was a great run, Senpai." Hitomi rushed to greet her friends, "We were cheering for you."  
He laughed, taking a quick gulp from his water bottle, "Yeah, I heard you guys." He glanced at her, "When's your heat, Kanzaki?"  
She shrugged, looking at her watch, "In about a half an hour. I'll probably have to start warm up in a few though."  
"Sure, no problem." Yukari nodded eagerly, "We'll stay for your heat."  
"Great!" Hitomi waved to the two, "I need to go change now, see you guys!" She jogged towards the girls' locker room as she tried to collect her concentration for the heat.  
Ever since she had returned from Gaea, she had insisted on keeping up with her running. It was such a freeing sport, and it allowed her to free her mind of her troubles… at least for the 12 or so seconds that it lasted… It had been three years since she had returned from Gaea, three years and two months, to be exact. When she had returned, she had been met with a lot of questions about where she had been, and what she had been doing. No one understood, or wanted to hear her stories. No one cared to know about all the people of Gaea, all of the friends that she had made. Some people thought that she was crazy, and that she had made it all up in her mind. But Amano and Yukari knew that it was real. They had been with her that day when she had disappeared… They knew about the life Hitomi had had on Gaea.  
"Good luck, Hitomi." Her coach interrupted her thoughts, "Just go out there and run your best, I know you can do it."  
"Thanks." Hitomi smiled before returning to tying her shoes, and thinking about her life.  
She was happy here on Earth, or at least… she thought she was. She had left Gaea without any regrets, and she had left knowing that things would always be all right. Now, she was going to college soon, and she would have to build a whole new life for herself. She led a rather normal life; she was a good student, and a great track runner. Her parents and little brother all trusted her to perform her best, and she hadn't yet let them down. She was happy to be home, and yet a part of her wondered what it would have been like if she had stayed in Fanelia, on Gaea. On Fanelia, she would have led a very different life. With medieval castles and fairy tale princesses, brave knights and wise kings… these things she had left behind. She had left behind her friends, Millerna, Allen, Merle… and Van. She closed her eyes. No one on Earth could understand why she closed herself off to the world so much, they didn't know why she refused every man who tried to approach her. She had tried going out with some guys at her school, but she never felt fulfilled, or truly happy, she couldn't lead herself on. Van was the only one for her, and she could always talk to him whenever she wanted… sometimes, she would pretend that she could see him, and really hear his voice.  
"Let's go, Kanzaki!" She was jolted out of her dream world.  
"I'm coming!" She finished tying her shoes and jogged towards the track.

***

"It's good of you to visit, Allen." Van de Fanel, King of Fanelia greeted his friend with a smile, "It's been a while."  
"So it has." The knight returned the smile, "It's good to be back in Fanelia." He looked at the king, his face cracking into a grin, "You've grown again, Van. You're looking more like royalty every day." He gave a quick pat on the back.  
Van laughed, shaking his head, "I hope not!" He replied quickly, "I don't want to lose my recklessness."  
"Oh, Van, I don't think you'll ever lose that."  
The two men joked with each other as they proceeded to the King's private chambers.  
"Master Van!" The two stopped in mid step, the figure of a young woman came down the hallway. She was rather short but slender. Her form was that of a blossoming cat woman. Her fur was a deep orange with black stripes, and her long slender tail waved back and forth as she used it to balance herself. She was wearing a simple, one-piece robe. This allowed her to move freely, without excess material to trip her.  
"Ah, Merle." Allen smirked, "It's nice to see you again."  
"Hello, Allen." She greeted upon seeing him, "I didn't know that you were coming to Fanelia."  
"I came with Serena and Princess Millerna on the Crusade, we're here to visit for a while." He grinned, "We'll probably stay for a few weeks before we head back to Asturia."  
"Great!" Merle's ears perked up quickly, "Where are Serena and Millerna?"  
"They're in the left wing, Merle." Van informed her, "They'll probably come for dinner. You could go and see them right now, if you wish."  
Without any further invitation, Merle nodded and bounded down the nearest corridor. Van watched the cat girl turn the corner before he looked back to Allen, "It's almost like old times, isn't it?"  
Allen nodded, "Yes, it is. And to think it was only three years ago when all this happened… Gaea has come a long way since then. It's almost as if we're holding a reunion." He sighed, looking out the window, "Only, it seems we're missing one of the original players…"  
Van followed Allen's gaze and glanced out the window as well. He stared up at the sky, peering beyond the white, luminescent moon to the larger and fuller of Gaea's two satellites. He let out a small sigh, his fingers grasping for the small pendant he wore around his neck. "I think she's happy though." He finally said, looking at Allen. "She didn't regret going back to the Phantom Moon, we shouldn't regret it either."  
Allen nodded, peering at his friend with a questioning gaze… "You have grown, Van." He quirked a small smile, "You're becoming more and more like Vargas and your brother every day."  
Van looked into the knight's eyes, knowing that such a compliment didn't come from Allen very often.

***

_Van…_ She looked out the window, focusing her concentration on him. She created an image of him in her mind, and nudged it slightly, trying to grab some attention.  
There was a pause before the reply came; _I'm here, Hitomi._  
She smiled, her face upturned to the endless night sky. _How are you?_ She slipped her mind into his comfortably, feeling his familiar warmth in her thoughts.  
_I'm fine._ Came his reply,_ Allen, Serena, and Millerna came to visit today… along with the crew of Crusade._  
_Send them my love, Van._ She said, picturing the people he mentioned as he thought their names.  
_I will._ Van replied. She could feel his mind nudge hers a little, _What about you? How are you doing?_  
She sighed, trying to keep the fatigue out of her next thought, _I won my heat today. But now I'm exhausted, I think I might go to sleep soon._  
_I'm happy for you, Hitomi._  
She smiled, imagining his arms holding tight around her, _I miss you, Van… I miss you so much._  
A muted surprise came from his thoughts, and he didn't reply for a long time. She waited, straining her thoughts to try and pick up what he was thinking.  
_I miss you too, Hitomi. We all do._

***

Van let go of the pendant once he felt her thoughts drift away from his. He kept his gaze up at the Phantom Moon, grateful for the silence of the evening. He had taken off all of his ceremonial gowns, and sat on the roof above his bedroom in his more comfortable attire. He was wearing brown pants, and a loose, sleeveless red shirt. She misses me. He thought to himself. Had she ever said that to him before? No, he shook his head, she hadn't. For three years, he had wondered if she were truly happy on Earth. And he had wondered if she would forget about him. But every night, they would talk to each other, sometimes only for a short period, but always long enough so that they could tell each other what was going on. Not once had she expressed any regret for going to Earth, it felt good to know that she was not completely without doubts. He got up slowly, his gaze moving from the sky to the next roof above his. Silhouetted against the night, he could see Allen's familiar figure standing in the sky. The knight's long, flowing blond hair was caught up by the wind as it fluttered with the wind. Van began to climb the roof, quietly approaching Allen.  
"You're up late." He finally said, once he reached the knight.  
The other man whirled around quickly, looking at Van in surprise. Finally he smiled, "I hadn't expected anyone else to be up here." He nodded, "I'm not an early sleeper." He glanced at the young king, "You're up pretty late too."  
Van shrugged, turning to glance at the Phantom Moon, "I was just wishing Hitomi a good night."  
Allen peered at him, "You talk to her?"  
Van nodded, not taking his eyes off the orb, "I do, in my mind… I told her that you and the others had come to visit… she sends you her love."  
Allen smiled, glancing at the moon as well, "Always so thoughtful, that Hitomi." His tone was tender, as a small smile crept up onto his face.  
Van sighed, turning around. He watched his friend for a few minutes before finally asking, "Would you care to spar a little?"  
Allen raised an eyebrow, and then began to unsheathe his sword; "It's been a long time since we've sparred… It'll be interesting to see how your swordsmanship has improved."  
Van took his sword in his gloved hands, hefting it a few times to get a familiar grip, "We'll see…"  
The two men's weapons clashed, creating a clear, crisp sound in the night. Back and forth they continued, neither one moving to score, and neither showing signs of giving up. Into the late hours of the night, they continued their game, silently thanking each other for the company.

***

"I'm going out to a movie, Mom!" Hitomi called down the hallway as she grabbed her purse, "Afterwards, Amano, Yukari, and I are going to catch a quick bite to eat too. So I want be home for dinner."  
"All right, Hitomi." Her mother looked up from her book to acknowledge her daughter, "Have fun!"  
Hitomi stepped out onto the sidewalk, her eyes searching the street for signs of her friends. A small blue sports car pulled up, and she waved quickly before hopping in.  
"You ready to go?" Amano asked, glancing at her through the rear view mirror.  
"Yep!" She settled herself in for the long ride to the cinema, letting her thoughts wander. From the front seat, she could hear Yukari talking with Amano affectionately. She allowed herself a smile; they were such a perfect couple. Watching as Yukari leaned her head onto Amano's shoulder, Hitomi felt a small twinge of longing. When will she ever be able to share a moment like that with someone? She sighed; she could never love anyone other than Van. She would never be able to get close to a guy from Earth. She smiled, but she always had someone to talk to when she needed to. Every night, before she went to bed, his thoughts would be the last things to lure her to sleep. She relaxed her shoulders back, letting out a deep breath; he would always be there for her.  
"Are you looking forward to this movie, Hitomi?" Yukari poked at her friend for an answer, "I heard it was pretty good."  
Hitomi shrugged, "I don't know, you picked it. I'm sure it'll be all right. Where do you guys want to go for dinner?"  
"How about the café?" Amano suggested, "We haven't been there for a while."  
"Yeah, that's good."

***

The afternoon light was lazy and bright as it shone in through the windows and onto the corridors. Van adjusted his cape, feeling its heavy weight flow to the ground. His advisors were meeting in the Council Chamber, and soon, he would have to join them. He always enjoyed coming out for a quick walk once in a while, just to get away from all of the politics, and all of the hectic business of being a king. It wasn't that he didn't want things to be going smoothly, but sometimes he wished that the war hadn't ended. Of course, he didn't really mean that. He just wished to still have the carefree-ness, it allowed him to go where he wanted to go, and do things that he wanted to do. He didn't have to follow rules, and be wary of trade embargos and alliances. He sighed; at eighteen, he was shouldering the responsibilities of a kingdom. He ran one hand through his bushy black hair, trying to shake himself awake. He continued his stroll along the corridor, admiring the tranquil scenery outside. By the time he heard the uneven footsteps behind him, and felt the hot breath, it was already too late. He whirled around to see who it was that followed him; his eyes met a hysterical golden gaze. Before he could even cry out, he felt the sword penetrate his robes and through his skin, into his side. The pain rushed from his wound into his head, and he was overwhelmed with a sea of agony. Silently, his knees buckled as he slumped to the ground.

***

Hitomi screamed, her pitch high and frightened.  
Quickly she doubled over, her hands clutching at her right side. A shooting pain had started emanating there, and all she could think of was how much it hurt. She bit back another yelp of pain as she gasped for air. Then, as suddenly as it came, the pain disappeared, leaving Hitomi still gulping the oxygen.  
"Hitomi!" Yukari's arm had shot out to support her friend as she slumped over in her chair, "Hitomi what happened?"  
Amano had risen out of his seat as well and was kneeling next to her, "Kanzaki, are you all right? Why did you scream?"  
Hitomi ignored their questions. She closed her eyes; she could still feel the stab of pain in her side, though it was nothing but a dull ache now. "Van…" She whispered his name, "Van… what's going on?" She knew that it had been his pain that she had felt, she knew that he had to be in trouble.  
"Hitomi?" Yukari was now shaking the girl, "What did you say? I can't understand… you're talking too softly."  
_Van…_She reached out with her mind, searching frantically for his familiar presence. _Van…answer me… VAN!_  
"Kanzaki!" Amano's voice was loud as he tried to get her attention, "Come on, snap out of it!"  
_Answer me Van… please answer me…_There was only silence. The place where his warmth had once been was now filled with emptiness.


	2. Two

Untitled "Where is he?" Allen's voice was low as he glared at the guards, "You said you caught him. Bring him here… NOW!"  
The castle guards nodded, trembling. They scrambled out of the door, all too eager to escape the Knight's presence.  
"Calm down, Allen… calm down." Millerna placed a hand on his shoulder, "Getting angry won't resolve anything."  
Allen sighed, shaking his head, "How could an assassin get through the guards to easily? They shouldn't be able to…"  
"Look, it won't help trying to ponder over that. Right now, we have to find a way to save Van's life." Millerna had now returned to the bed, her fingers clutched tightly to the ball of bandages. She glanced down at the figure lying in front of her. Van had turned pale; a large gash had been cut down his right side. She took a towel, soaking it in hot water and began to clean wound. Each time the cloth touched the open flesh, Van's body winced involuntarily, but never once did he open his eyes.  
"Master Van…" Merle watched with wide eyes, "Master Van… please don't die… Master Van…"  
"We're losing him…" Millerna said, alarmed as she felt his heartbeat faltering.  
Allen quickly took the bandages from her, sitting the unconscious king up.  
"We have to stop the bleeding. If he doesn't stop, he'll lose too much blood." The princess began to create a combination of herbs in her bowl.  
Allen supported Van, watching helplessly as the king's breath began to falter. He quickly took the bandages and began to wrap them firming around the king's torso and side. He looped it back around the shoulder a few times to keep it in place and continued to wrap it around the wound, tying it as tightly as possible.  
"At this rate…" Millerna watched Van, "At this rate… I don't think he's going to make it."

* * *

Her strides were long and unbroken. The running came to her like instinct. She could feel the wind blowing past her, throwing her long, hazel hair back. The skirts of her school uniform fluttered around her thighs and knees, but she didn't let it bother her. Over her shoulder, she had slung her duffle bag, as always. Subconsciously, she was heading towards the track. She closed her eyes, letting her feet do the thinking.  
_Van… wait for me._ She pleaded to the starry night.  
She ran through the gates, pushing them aside as her strides grew longer. She began to speed up, her mind concentrating on the stars.  
_Please! Take me to Van! I beg you! Take me there! _At the last pledge, she spoke the words out loud. The rhythm of her running was unbroken even as she began to feel herself being taken off the ground. Finally allowing herself to open her eyes, she found herself being engulfed by an all too familiar column of light.

* * *

The room was silent; everyone had already gone to bed. Allen sat, slouched in his chair, sitting next to Van's bed. His eyes were fixed on the form of the young king.  
"Damn it, Van. You are always so reckless… why did you have to be so reckless…?" He clenched his fists on the arms of his chair. Van's chest moved very unevenly, rising and falling in unsteady breaths.  
"Come on, Van… stay with us… come on! You've survived this kind of thing too many times to let it bring you down now."  
Suddenly, a bright flash appeared. Allen looked up quickly, his sword already in hand. Before him stood the figure of a young woman. He squinted. She had long, brown hair that fell to a point just past her shoulders. Her emerald green eyes were looking at him with concern. She was panting slightly, as if she had just been running hard. She wore a simple gray and black school uniform, with running shoes. Over one shoulder, was slung a blue duffle bag.  
"Allen-san…"  
Her voice, her tone, they were all so familiar to him. The sword dropped from his fingers with a clang. "Hitomi…?" He was afraid to say the name louder, afraid that she would disappear. With one fluid motion he had moved from the side of the bed and was standing in front of her.  
"Allen…" Her eyes looked him over, trying to see him in the dim light. He took this moment to examine her. She had grown so much in the past few years… her hair was much longer, and she had grown much taller. Her body had taken on many of the curves of a women, but her emerald eyes remained just as innocent and concerned as they had always been.  
"Hitomi… you… how…?" He stuttered for something meaningful to say.  
She blinked, looking at him, "I felt Van's pain…I had to know that he was all right." As if suddenly remembering, she frantically looked around the room, "Van…"  
Allen hesitated before taking her hand and leading her to the bed, "He's here…"  
"How is he?" She asked, her voice filled with concern as she approached the bed, "Is he all right…?"  
"We don't know."  
She had grown silent now as she peered down at Van. His skin was pale, almost blending in with the color of his fresh bandages. The bandages started at his left shoulder and crossed his chest down to his right side where it was wrapped around his body several times. His face was eerily calm, impassive. Hitomi fought back tears as she gently picked his hand up in hers. "Van…" Three years. It had been three years since she had last seen him. He hadn't changed much. He had grown taller, and he had lost the boyish immature look. His bushy black hair fell around his eyes, which were shut tight in sleep. But she knew that this was the same boy she had fallen in love with, only now he was no longer a boy, he was a king.  
"Hitomi…" Allen's voice was soft as he watched her, "Bring him back to us, Hitomi. I know you can do it."  
Hitomi glanced at him, unsure of her ability. "I can't… Allen… I can't. I don't have that power anymore, I gave it up…"  
"You can, Hitomi." His hands were firm has he squeezed her shoulders gently, "You have an extraordinary power, whether you decide to use it or not, it's always there. Please, Hitomi, try. Try for Van."  
She looked down at the still figure laying before her. How could she…? Silently, she closed her eyes, her fingers clasping Van's.  
_Van…_She sent the thought very softly, channeling it down her arm and into his fingers, _Van…come back to me._  
She waited, hoping for something to happen.  
_"When one power calls out to another, they will know…" Van…hear me. Don't leave me. Please… come back._  
Still there was nothing.  
"Allen-san, I can't. It's not working…"  
"Don't give up, Hitomi." His voice was comforting, "You can do it. I know you can."  
She closed her eyes again, her mind searching for Van's. _Please, Van. It's me, Hitomi. I've come back… I've come back so that I can see you. How can you greet me if you don't wake up? Come on, Van… come back so that I can see you again._  
There was a faint flicker on the other side.  
_Van… come on now. I'm here waiting for you. When you wake up, I'll be here. Don't you want to see me again?_  
_Hi…to…mi…_  
_Yes, it's me, Van. It's me… come back…I know it hurts, but please… come back to me!_  
"Hitomi…?" Allen's voice penetrated her thoughts, "It's all right now, Hitomi. His breathing has become regular."  
"Van…" She let her hand fall away from his. "Come back to me…"  
Allen waited a few minutes. The two watched the King of Fanelia with concern.  
"Come on, Hitomi." Allen gently guided her away from the bed, "It's really late. You need to get some rest."

* * *

"Rega went to Fanelia… that madman has finally lost his last real nerve." The voice came from the shadows, latent with fear and anger.  
"And..?" Her response was very light, "What happened?"  
"They captured him, but not before he did some damage."  
She whirled around, her eyes gleaming dangerously, "Go and retrieve him. Or if they insist, have him executed. Whatever you do, just take care of this." Her tone was dangerous, as she began to walk towards her servant. The long, heavy, blue cape that hung from her shoulders fell to all the way to the ground, serving to be more of a train than a covering. Underneath, she wore a simply cut dress of the finest black velvet. She glared at the man in the shadows with her golden eyes, "Do you understand?"  
"Yes, milady." The man bowed before disappearing into the doorway.  
She waited until he disappeared before turning back around. Looking out the large, plate glass window, she examined the lush scenery below. Zaibach was making a slow but steady recovery from the devastation of the war. She grinned; it was a leaderless, abandoned country. The people farmed for themselves, and created their own sense of local government. None of them cared to peel off into other countries; no one wanted their autonomy. They seemed all to be waiting for someone to take them up, and lead them to a new future. It was a country, sitting there, ready for the picking. And she would be the one to take it. Though the people would never accept having her as a leader, for she was a woman, she would be able to lull them into her grasp soon enough. She had worked hard over the past three years, to rebuild Zaibach to its old glory. When Dornkirk had been in power, she had never been able to come to a standing of much power, but now with everything else out of the way, she was ready to make her move. The people agreed that she could be their collective speaker, and that if she were to find a husband, they would acknowledge him as their king. But until then, she was nothing more than a figurehead, self-proclaimed princess.  
"Erina," someone had entered the room again, "You knew that Rega was going to go the Fanelia… that man is wild, he lost his mind after the war… why didn't you keep a closer watch on him?"  
She turned, her eyes meeting those of a young man, with golden eyes that matched hers, "Rega was not my responsibility, Eric. You know that. If worse comes to worse, I will apologize on behalf of the Zaibach empire. Fanelia and the rest of Gaea will understand; no one can control a maniac."  
"You planned this, didn't you?" He finally said, "You planned to have Rega go to Fanelia, you knew that he would try to kill Van Fanel. Didn't you, Erina."  
She glanced at him, "No." She finally said, "I didn't. But when I found out he had escaped, I did nothing to stop him. Fanelia deserves a scare once in a while, we don't want them to think that they're the capital of the world." She paced over towards him, "Besides… for what I have in mind, they're going to be getting much more than just a little madman once in a while…"  
Eric watched her, his eyes calculating, "What you are proposing is a full-scale war, Erina. Zaibach isn't ready for that yet… not again. We've barely been able to recover from the last one, if we go into war again, we'll never survive."  
She laughed, "Come on, Eric. Don't be naïve. I'm not about to bring Zaibach into a war, not yet. But we have to start reaffirming our existence, show that world that we're still here. I'm not going to let us fade out and become nothing." She glared at him, "Don't you care about anything father ever taught us?"  
"Our father was a maniac, Erina." His voice was hard, "He didn't know anything, and he didn't care about anything. He had an overblown vision of a glorified Zaibach… don't you start becoming more like him too."  
"Our father was not a maniac!" Her retort escalated to a shout, "He was an honorable man, who died fighting for his country! I intend to follow his vision… I intend to make him proud...!"  
"Why, Erina?" His voice was soft now, "Because you want to make up all those times you let him down before? Is that it? Erina, nothing you do can bring him back. And nothing you do can make him forget all those things… those horrible things…"  
"Shut up!" She spat the words at him, "I'm going to make this work. You'll see…"

* * *

Bright rays of light came spilling in through the window, and penetrated the curtains on Hitomi's four-post bed. She blinked herself awake, letting out a large yawn. She turned around, enjoying the warmth and coziness of the covers. It took her a moment to figure out where she was. The room was very familiar to her, and yet it felt so strange. She hadn't been back in this room for three years, and nothing had changed. It was just the way she had left it, as if no one had ever lived in the room after she had left. There were large, framed windows on the side, leading out to a balcony. Her bed was a large, decorated four-post fit for a noblewoman. She began to take a look around the room, finally able to see it better under the sunlight.  
A knock on her door forced her to get out of her comfortable bed. She was wearing a long, sleeveless silk nightgown. It was forest green in color, and seemed to flow like water around her. Quickly, she donned the matching kimono-robe and walked to open the door.  
"Good morning, Hitomi." She looked up to see Allen, "I hope I didn't wake you."  
"No, not at all." She replied, shaking her head back so to get the hair out of her eyes. She leaned casually against the doorframe; "I've been awake for a little while already."  
Allen nodded, looking her over for a moment. She looked so mature; her body had grown in all the right places, making her quite attractive now. A twinge of pain shot through his chest, as he remembered a time when she had been his. "Well, I came to tell you that we're having breakfast in the dining hall. The others are all eager to see you again, they all heard of your return."  
Hitomi blushed, "I hope they aren't disappointed when they see me."  
"They won't be." Allen smiled, "I'm sure of it." He paused before continuing, "The closets in this room have been restocked with all different gowns that should fit your size… feel free to try some of them on."  
Hitomi nodded, "I will." She smiled, "See you at breakfast?"  
He nodded, "See you at breakfast." With that, he turned and continued down the hall.  
Hitomi closed the door and walked towards the large closet on the side of the room. She was debating whether or not she wanted to try on one of the gowns. When she had been in Gaea before, she had mainly dressed in her own earthling clothes, but now, her hands itched to get themselves on the beautiful fabrics. Finally, she gave in, and chose one of the gowns. It was a light creamy blue, and it fit her almost perfectly. She laughed, allowing herself a twirl before she bounded towards the door.  


* * *

"HITOMI!" She was knocked to the ground even before she could see who was addressing her. She was engulfed in chaos of bright orange fur, and prickly ears.  
"Hello Merle." She laughed, trying to push the cat-woman off of her, "It's nice to see you again."  
"I can't believe you're back!" Merle laughed, still refusing to get off of the other girl, "And you've grown!" She quickly stood up, examining her old friend. She twitched her nose approvingly.  
Hitomi recovered her balance and got back up, dusting off her gown. She smiled, ruffling Merle's fur, "So have you." She looked around at the others present at the table. Sitting next to Merle was a beautiful young woman, with a cascade of blonde waves. Hitomi smiled, nodding to her, "Hello, Princess Millerna."  
"It's good of you to come back to us, Hitomi." Millerna replied, flashing a large smile, "We've missed you."  
Next to Millerna was an empty chair, apparently left for her. Then, to the other side, Allen was seated. He nodded to her, offering a comforting smile. Hitomi looked to the other side of Allen and found herself staring at a young woman. She had beautiful blond hair, and looked somewhat like Allen. She sat with her back straight and her head held high, showing her pride and her training in being a noblewoman. She looked at Hitomi with cool, blue eyes.  
"Serena…" Hitomi finally was able to recognize who it was that she was looking at. She was surprised; could this really be the same girl that had once been so evil? It shocked her, but she could see the Serena had matured much in three years. She was truly becoming a charming noblewoman of Asturia.  
The girl looked at Hitomi with a one eyebrow raised before she rose in her seat. "Kanzaki Hitomi," She finally said, "I have heard much of you from my brother and his friends. It is a pleasure to finally meet the girl from the Phantom Moon."  
Hitomi smiled, "As it is a pleasure to meet you, Serena."  
There was an awkward silence before Allen stood up and gestured for Hitomi to take her seat. "We should have a quick breakfast and then Merle wants to give us all a grand tour of the new renovated palace."  
Merle flicked her ears forward her expression mischievous, "There's been a lot of repair done, and we've added on a whole new wing. You've got to see how much its changed since the war!"  
Hitomi nodded silently, nibbling at the apple in her hand. "How's Van…" She finally asked.  
The moment her words penetrated the air, the room grew silent. Even Merle's persistent enthusiasm seemed to drop.  
"He's healing…" Millerna finally said, flashing a small smile, "Slowly… but steadily. I think he's going to make it. Van's always been a fighter, he wasn't about to let an unidentified assassin take him down."  
Hitomi let out a sigh of relief, "That's good to know." She finally said, continuing to eat her breakfast. Silently, she made a mental note check up on him personally later.


	3. 

Untitled _"Don't run! The more you run, the less chance you have of escaping!"The leaves barred her vision, and all she could see was a blur of color and light before her. Her legs were tired and her lungs were about ready collapse, but she pushed one more spurt of energy out of her body, swallowing gasps of air. Her fingers grabbed blindly at the branches in front of her; all she could hear was the pounding of wild hooves behind her.  
"STOP!" This time, she could hear his voice closer to her, "You're only going to frighten it! Listen to me, stop running!"  
She screamed, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to push his voice away. All she could think about was getting past the trees, getting into the open plain, where she at least had some chance of surviving. The creature behind her was getting closer, and she could already feel its breath on her back. The tears had already begun to flow freely down her cheeks, and a full panic had taken over her body. She was only vaguely aware that the sound of one set of hooves behind her had now doubled to the sound of two. She didn't dare look back to see whom the second set belonged to. Her legs were getting tired, and she couldn't breath. Her head was beginning to hurt, and her arms were bloodied by the branches. Her steps became heavy and clumsy. Before she knew it, she was vaulted into the air as she tripped over a branch…_

"FATHER!" She woke screaming, her body drenched with a cold sweat. Her throat was choked with tears, and her empty hands grasped in front of her for vacant air. Her breath was coming in spurts and she found herself shivering.  
"Erina!" Her door burst open. Eric was standing on the threshold, his hair tousled and his eyes frantically searching the room for hers. Within seconds, he was next to her. "Erina… what happened? Why were you screaming?"  
She shook her head, burying herself into his chest. She felt sick, disgusted at the feel of her own flesh.  
"Erina…" He engulfed her with a hug and gently stroked her hair, "Calm down… it was just dream…"  
"No…" Her voice came out in gasps, "No… I didn't mean it… I didn't… father… I didn't mean it…"  
As if realizing some unspoken fact, Eric gave his sister a tight squeeze, rubbing her back soothingly. "Don't think about it, Erina. You can't change things from the past… Calm down… you should get back to sleep, it's very late."  
"No… Eric… you know I didn't mean it… don't you?" Suddenly, she pushed him away. Her teary eyes searched in his, "I didn't…" Before she could even finish her sentence, she was overcome by another wave of nausea.  
"I know, Erina. I know." He whispered, gently pushing her back onto the bed, "Forget about the dream… Go back to sleep. When the morning comes, everything will be all right… you'll see."  
"I didn't…"

* * *

"The prisoner is being detained in the dungeons. He refuses to speak, and seems to only mutter to himself. Most of the guards believe that he has lost his mind…" The guard gave the report in a monotonic voice.  
"Keep him there… after the king regains his strength, he will decide what to do with him." Allen's voice was stern and commanding as he gave the order. "You are dismissed." He waved the guard off with one hand. As soon as the man left the room, he turned back around to face the others.  
"You think he was hired?" He finally asked, his eyes troubled.  
"No…" Millerna shook her head, stepping forward, "No… who would hire a madman?"  
"He could be pretending… Assassins can be very good actors." Allen countered, leaning against the wall.  
"Somehow I doubt this one is acting." Millerna finally said, "I saw a glimpse of him when he was being taken away by the guards. He looked pretty far gone to me."  
"I just don't understand… why was he here? And what did he have against Van?" Allen shook his head, heaving a sigh. "Damn it… it doesn't make any sense to me."  
"I could…" Hitomi began to speak up, her voice very hesitant, "I could try… talking to him…"  
Allen looked up sharply, his eyes curious, "You mean… use your powers?"  
Hitomi shivered, remembering what it was like to delve into another person's mind. "I could… try. I haven't done anything like this for three years though, I don't know if I could still do it. I gave up divining when I went home…"  
Millerna watched the girl with uncertain eyes. She looked over at Allen, silently pleading with him.  
Reading her expression, he nodded solemnly, "Maybe it's not a good idea, Hitomi. You might get hurt… I remember how hard it was for you to try and read the future… and the past."  
"I…" She trailed off, her head bowing. "I don't know."  
Allen sighed, running a hand through his hair. Finally he shrugged, "Maybe when Van regains consciousness he'll be able to shed some light onto who this man is. We've never seen him before… but maybe Van knew him."  
Millerna shrugged, getting up. She gave Allen a meaningful look and slowly pushed him towards the door. Resignedly, he turned and followed her out.

* * *

The door clicked shut and Hitomi knew she was alone in the room. She waited, listening to the footsteps fade in the hallway. Finally, she let out a deep breath. Her eyes glazed over as she lost herself deep in thought. _What am I doing here?_ She hadn't even considered the consequences of her decision when she had rashly jumped back into this world. Now, a few days had passed, and she still didn't quite know why she had come here. She had left Gaea without any regrets, and she had promised herself that she would be happy… but was she really? It had been three years, but when she felt the soft soil underneath her feet and smelled the scent of dragons in the air, it felt like only yesterday that she had left Gaea behind. _I have no right to be here…I don't belong here._ But something inside of her tugged at her, as if telling her that she was wrong. She heaved a sigh before getting up out of the chair. Her eyes wandered absently towards the door on the other side of the room. She knew that through that door was Van's bedroom. Without even thinking, she began to walk towards it.  
The room was getting dark in the waning sunlight. Van was lying, sleeping atop the bed. His breathing was slow, but regular. His expression was calm, frighteningly still. Hitomi made her way over to the side of the bed, sitting down in the chair. Slowly, she clasped his hand within hers.  
_Van…please get well soon. I want so much to be able to talk to you…_She laid her head down on the bed, next to his arm. Her fingers caressed over his bandaged chest. She closed her eyes, remembering the words Millerna had spoken to her that afternoon. _"You have to be gentle with Van… He's lost a lot of blood, and will most likely be disoriented when he wakes. You probably shouldn't startle him with your presence when he wakes up. The surprise might worsen his condition."_ She shook her head, closing her eyes. She knew that she shouldn't be there, in his room. There was always the chance of him waking up and finding her there. But she couldn't bring herself up to leave.  
"Oh Van… there's so much I want to ask you." She trailed off, her head nodding down with fatigue. She let herself be lost within her thoughts again. She had been in Fanelia for a few days now, and still Van's condition had not improved. She squeezed her eyes shut, afraid to think what might happen if Van never woke up. Her mind invariably wandered back to that nagging question in her mind, did she really belong here? For three years, she had thought that her life was complete. Earth was her home; it was the place where she was born. How could she ever belong anywhere else? But now, sitting next to him, she could no longer keep her thoughts straight.  
Suddenly, she was startled out of her trance as his fingers grasped hers firmly. She sat up, her eyes jerking open.  
"Van…?" She whispered.  
Slowly, his eyelids opened. His grasp became even firmer on her hand as he became aware of her presence.  
"Who…" His voice was weak, barely above a whisper, "Who are you?" His eyes looked questioningly at her face. He squinted, trying to make out her features in the waning light.  
"I…" She began to say. Suddenly, she cut herself off, remembering what Millerna had said. "I… am one of your handmaiden's, your Majesty. I was charged with watching over you until you awoke, sir."  
One eyebrow shot up, as he tried to see her more clearly. Finally, he sighed, closing his eyes tiredly. "Oh…" He said, "I understand… I must have… dreamed it."  
"Your Majesty?" She questioned. She slipped her hand out of his grasp and rose from the chair.  
"Nothing." He responded, "I had expected someone else…" He paused, "How long have I been asleep?"  
"For four days, sir." She responded, walking away from the bed. It was all she could do to keep from throwing herself into his arms.  
"Four days…" He whispered to himself. Slowly, he raised his good arm to grasp his chest as if looking for something. Suddenly, he bolted up in his bed. With a yelp, he fell back down, wincing with pain.  
"Your Majesty!" Hitomi rushed back to the bed, "You've been badly wounded. Don't try to rise…"  
"Where is it?" His voice was frantic, his hand grasping for her arm.  
"Where is what, sir?" She was surprised by how strong his grip was, "I don't understand what you're trying to ask…"  
"My pendant." He responded, "There is a pendant that I always wear around my neck. Where did it go?"  
She felt her heart rise to her throat. She swallowed, trying to keep herself from crying. "It is safe, sir." She finally responded, her voice quivering. Carefully, she reached over him and underneath his pillow. She retrieved the silvery pink pendant and showed it to him. "I put it under your pillow for safekeeping, sir."  
Before she could pull back, he had grabbed her hand the pendant still clutched within her fingers. He stopped, holding her hand close to his chest. Squinting, he examined her features, again. He tugged at her arm, making her lean closer to him so that he could see her better.  
"Your Majesty…" She tried to pull back but was too enchanted by his warm touch.  
"What did you say your name was?" He asked, his voice growing urgent.  
"I… I didn't, sir." She replied. She looked away, trying to hide her face from him. With a surprising amount of strength, he forced her to look at him. His eyes searched over her features, as if looking for something that wasn't there. Suddenly, his eyebrows shot up in recognition.  
"Hitomi…?" He whispered her name. His expression was unsure, and his voice was quivering.  
She closed her eyes, unsure of how to respond to him. She swallowed the lump that had arisen in her throat, before looking back at him. "Yes, your Majesty…"  
His other hand had found its way to her cheek, and his fingers gently caressed the tears from her eyes. "I am dreaming… can it really be you?"  
"It is me, Van." She finally replied, "I've come back to Gaea."  
"I thought I heard your voice… when I was asleep… you were the one, calling to me."  
"I couldn't stay on Earth, not knowing what was happening to you here on Gaea. I'm sorry, Van… I was so afraid for you… I was so afraid I would lose you." She was crying now, her tears falling from her eyes onto his chest.  
Carefully, he began to sit up in the bed. This time, she helped him up. He winced painfully and clutched at his side. Finally, he leaned his head back against the backboard tiredly, shifting his body to make room for her. Hitomi sat down on the bed next to him, her eyes on the ground.  
"Hitomi…"  
She shivered. The way he said her name… it resounded within her. His voice had grown deeper in the past three years; and there was something in his tone that was unfamiliar to her. His voice was filled with a sense of longing… of desire. It sent chills up her back. She closed her eyes, afraid to look at him. She was afraid that she would open her eyes and find that she was imagining everything. She didn't want to be away from the feel of his hand spread over hers, or the touch of his breath on her cheek.  
"Hitomi…" He said her name again, this time a little firmer. This time, it struck an even deeper chord. She couldn't resist. She opened her eyes, and found herself being lost within the gaze of his chocolate eyes. Did she really even know him any more? When she had left, he had been a boy. But now, he had grown into a man. It had been three years… how could things still be the same?  
As if sensing her confusion, he cocked his head to one side. One of his eyebrows rose in inquisition, and he bit his lip jauntily. With his hair tousled and messy, he peered at her. Within that second, it seemed as of all the years lost had been gapped. There, Hitomi recognized that same rash, reckless, boy king that she had known.  
"Van!" She cried out, her voice filled with pure joy. She threw her arms around him, pressing her body close to his. "It is you…"  
He responded in turn, his arms finding a familiar comfort around her. He held her close.  
"I've missed you, Van… I've missed you so much."  
He didn't respond with words, he only caressed her head slowly. His fingers stroked through her hair. Finally, after a long pause, he broke the silence. "Welcome home, Hitomi."


	4. Four

Untitled The room was dark, wet and cold. With each movement, he was only reminded more of the fact that he was chained to a cold slab of granite. Why was he being held? Everything was so fuzzy and confusing to him. All he could remember was the guard… yes it was the guard… he had come to give him food. But why was he in the prison? What had he done? He had been walking… through the burned and charred fields of Zaibach. He had been tending to his farm, the one he had tried so vainly to maintain after the war. What did he do after that? He had been summoned… summoned to the shack that the self-proclaimed princess had called a palace. He squinted his eyes, staring blankly at the straw on the floor of the prison. His mind couldn't stay in one place; it kept on jumping from thought to thought. What had so motivated him to come to Fanelia? All he could remember… no… he could remember nothing. He didn't know his own name. He didn't even care what it was… He had only known one thing… that haunting voice. What had it said to him? He shook his head, hitting it against the wall, trying to make himself remember. Kill the king… kill the king of Fanelia. That's what he had been here to do… was that why he was being held captive? Had he actually killed the king? Why couldn't he remember…? Why didn't he know…?

* * *

"Van… please…" Allen watched the young king intently, "I need you to remember. What did this man say to you before he stabbed you? Do you have any clue about who he might be?"  
Van closed his eyes, leaning his head back tiredly against the headboard. The night had finally descended upon the palace and all was quite and peaceful. Van sat, or rather, laid atop his bed while Allen paced nervously back and forth. Millerna watched the scene, her eyes ever observant. Van swallowed slowly, his face pale and sunken in. "Allen," his voice was weak, "I can't… he didn't say anything. I didn't really get a good look at him. He just… I don't know… he just kind of pounced out of nowhere."  
Allen sighed, frustrated. "Damn it." He said between clenched teeth, "Where the hell is this guy from? He can't just come out of nowhere and attack the king of Fanelia…"  
"Allen," Millerna watched him sternly, "Calm down. I'm sure we'll figure it out eventually. Who knows where he came from? If you ask me, I think he was just crazy."  
"No… that's not it!" Allen whirled to face her, "That's the thing. He was sent. I can tell he was. How could he have such an efficient weapon? He obviously couldn't afford to own a blade so deft. He was sent here for a purpose, and by someone. I want to know who that someone was!"  
Van winced as Allen raised his voice to a shout. He heaved a shuddering breath, closing his eyes. With his good arm, he rubbed gently at his temples.  
"Van, you need to get some more rest… You look terrible." Millerna finally concluded, already beginning to push Allen out of the room. "We'll talk about this after you've recovered."  
Van offered her a grateful grin and nodded. "I'll try to remember what I can, Allen." He said in an apologetic tone to knight. Then, almost as an afterthought, he called towards them, "Is Hitomi still out there in the hallway?"  
Millerna turned back to face him, "I think so… do you want me to send her in here?"  
Van sat thoughtfully for a moment. Finally, after some hesitation, he nodded. "Yes. Thanks, Princess."  
She nodded, "I'll see if I can find her."

* * *

What time was it? It had never occurred to her that it was getting pretty late in the night. She looked at her watch, squinting at it in the pale moonlight. She decided that it must have been around midnight. She sighed, wrapping her arms around her knees as she sat at the window. She was waiting for Allen and Millerna to come out of Van's room so that she could ask if there were any new developments. Hitomi leaned her head back against the window frame, watching the door down the hallway for any movement. She stretched her stiff leg muscles, letting out a tired yawn. It had been a long day, and she had not been sleeping well the past few nights. She sighed, rearranging the folds of her dress, finding nothing more interesting to do.  
When she heard the door creak open, she looked up. Allen and Millerna were walking towards her. Both of them looked like they could use a good night's rest.  
"Hitomi," Millerna approached her, "Van wants to see you."  
Hitomi nodded, quickly rising from the windowsill. She began to walk towards the door.  
"Try not to make it too long," Millerna warned, "He needs to rest."  
Hitomi nodded, "I'll keep that in mind, Princess."  
With that, she opened the door and stepped inside. The lights were dim and someone had opened the far window to let in a cool night breeze. Van was lying atop his bed; his back was leaned halfway up against the headboard. His eyes were closed. Hitomi bit her lip, noticing how pale his skin still was. There were dark circles forming under his eyes, and his cheeks had sunk in from lack of nourishment while he had been unconscious. She walked towards the bed, unsure if he was asleep. When he heard her footsteps, his eyelids fluttered open.  
She walked slowly towards him, letting her fingertips brush over his sheets. "How are you feeling, Van?" She asked.  
He forced a wane smile, "A little better." He replied. His voice betrayed his fatigue. It was soft and lacked strength.  
She sat down on the bed, her eyes locking with his. For a moment, there was an awkward silence as the two of them just stared at each other. Hitomi broke the gaze by averting her eyes to the floor. She was unsure of what to do, how she was supposed to act.  
"I… um… I hope you've found that your chambers and room suit you." He finally broke the silence. His voice was also unsure, and he stuttered as he tried to make idle conversation.  
She nodded, "They're beautiful, Van." She smiled, "You've done a lot of work in the past three years to make Fanelia a dreamland again."  
He smiled ruefully, "I've tried. We're still working on it… but I think we've made progress."  
"You definitely have." Hitomi nodded in agreement, looking at him.  
The silence again took over the room. Hitomi contented herself with just watching Van and waiting for him to speak. Her eyes wandered over his face, down his neck and to his broad shoulders. He had definitely grown in the past few years, and his body had become strong and healthy. Without even realizing it, she put her hand gently on his shoulder. Slowly, she ran her fingers down the path of the bandages and across his chest. As if relaxed by her touch, he let out a sigh and closed his eyes peacefully.  
She watched him, marveling at how innocent and serene he looked. He sensed her gaze and grasped her hand in his before he opened his eyes again.  
"It's pretty late, you should probably rest." She commented, beginning to rise.  
He watched her get up, but didn't let go of her hand.  
"Van…" She said, grinning ruefully, "May I have my hand back?"  
He didn't let go but he smiled, "Will I see you tomorrow?"  
Hitomi hesitated before she nodded, "I'll come to visit you."  
Almost without thinking, he clasped her hand close to his chest. Gently, he caressed her fingers with a soft kiss. Then, he let go of her hand, leaning back into the depths of his pillows.  
She smiled, backing away towards the door. As she blew out the candle near the doorway, she turned back to look at him. "Good night, Van." She whispered before she slipped out into the hallway.  
He waited until he heard her footsteps retreat down the corridor before he let out a deep sigh, "Good night, love."

* * *

An eerie silence had settled into the palace. Everyone was asleep, and even the unfortunate guards who tended the night shift were beginning to doze. The fireplace offered some warmth and little light, but Eric didn't really care. His eyes had become well adjusted to the dimness of the library. He shed his cloak silently on the soft armchair by the fire before he paced towards the bookshelves. The shelves were all covered with dust and were in disrepair. After the war, no one ever cared to read much anymore. As far as he knew, he was the only one who ever came to the library room. Erina never cared much for books, so she had not bothered to renovate the library when they had moved into the palace. However, Eric loved being in here. All around him, he was surrounded by the tomes of history, art, magic, and literature. Inside of each book was locked a secret, a secret that was just waiting for him to come and discover it.  
He walked silently along the shelves, running his fingers over the bindings of the volumes. His golden eyes flickered lazily from cover to cover, not really looking for anything in particular. He stopped as his attention fell upon a large, dusty book. It was bound in black with gold lettering. He squinted, pulling the volume out from the depths of the shelf. Blowing the dust off, he began to walk back towards the fireplace, the book safely tucked in the curve of his arm.  
After making himself comfortable on the armchair, he leaned back and opened up the first page of the book:_ The Magic of Science._  
Immediately, from the weirdly shaped characters, he realized that this was not a book from Zaibach. His fingers traced over the unfamiliar curves and lines of the words, his mind searching for a connection. Why did these words look so familiar to him? He let himself sink into a deep state of contemplation mixed with fatigue. Slowly, he flipped the pages, his eyes skimming over the parchments filled with knowledge that he could not understand. Unable to comprehend anything, he flipped to the back cover. At the very bottom of the page, he found carved into the binding a few small symbols that he, surprisingly enough, could understand. He squinted, recognizing the mark of the former emperor of Zaibach.  
"Dornkirk…" He raised an eyebrow, wondering where this book had come from. It took a few minutes before realization dawned upon him, "The Phantom Moon?"

* * *

"If you continue to refuse to speak, we might have to resort to torture to get the truth out of you." The man standing in front of him was frightening. He was tall and noble looking. He wore a blue tunic with a white shirt. His long, shimmering blond hair fell unnoticed around his shoulders. The man was looking at him with a stern gaze and knit eyebrows.  
He opened his mouth to speak, but found no words there. He tried again, but found that his voice was gone.  
"Well?" The man was now looking at him with an even more frightening gaze, "Don't make me torture the words out of you." The man's voice was menacing, "I assure you, I've done it before."  
He shook his head, his mind searching frantically for something to say. "I…" His voice sounded strange to even himself, "I don't know…"  
"You were sent here, weren't you?" The man narrowed his eyes, "You were sent here to assassinate the king of Fanelia. Who were you sent by?"  
His head was reeling and all his vision began to be clouded over with spots. Kill the king… kill the king of Fanelia. The voice had come back, and he closed his eyes, letting out a high-pitched howling scream. He grabbed at his head, pounding it with his fists, trying to make the voice stop. "No…!" The only coherent thing that he could make come out of his mouth slipped from his lips.  
"Tell me!" The man had his fists clenched now, and he was looking impatient, "Who sent you here? If you cooperate, there might actually be chance you'll live."  
His mouth began to flap as he tried to explain. It wasn't his fault, couldn't they see it wasn't his fault? He hadn't done anything. He was only a poor farmer of Zaibach; he had nothing left after the war. All he wanted was his little plot of land and his seeds to farm so that he could feed his family. He didn't mean to come here; he didn't even know what he was doing here. Couldn't this man see that? He was lost… he was lost and he didn't even know what it meant to be found. All these things he tried to explain, but all that came out of his mouth of a line of gibberish punctuated by screams.  
The man backed away, his face filled with disgust. He turned around to motion towards the guard, "I've had enough of this."  
The guard came over and unlocked the cell door, letting the man out. "Shall I keep him here, Allen?"  
The man turned and nodded, "Make sure that he stays here. I'll be back in the morning to see if he's made any progress."  
With that both the man and the guard left, leaving him curled up on the floor.  
His chest shuddered up and down and he found his whole body trembling. His ears flickered back and forth, resounding with the sound of silence. He felt like there was a heavy weight being pressed upon him, and he couldn't tell if it was he, or if the cell was getting colder. He started to whimper, his voice getting caught in his throat. Suddenly, he sensed that he wasn't alone in the cell. He jumped up, falling into a crouching stance. His wild eyes darted around the cell, and his senses were heightened.  
"You're an awful mess, Rega." The voice seemed to come out of nowhere.  
He whirled around, looking for the source of the sound.  
"So you finally went over the edge, huh?" A shadowy figure seemed to melt out from the wall. It was a young man, dressed in the uniform of a Zaibach soldier. He had piercing green eyes. "Huh, shoulda known you'd get caught. The Princess sent me here to take care of you."  
"Why… why am I here?" His voice frightened, like that of a child's.  
"Why are you here?" The soldier rolled his eyes, "Gods, Rega. You've really lost haven't you? I heard you did quite a little job on that boy-king."  
A little job? What was this man talking about? "I… I didn't do anything…"  
The man's laugh was harsh, "You know, I almost pity you, Rega. Don't worry, though. It'll all be over soon."  
"I… I want to get back to my farm… my family… where are they? Why am I here?" His eyes widened as he saw the soldier draw a dagger from his sleeve.  
"Come on, Rega. Don't worry, you'll be seeing them real soon." The soldier walked towards him, the dagger extended.  
"You promise?"  
"I promise."  
He barely even felt the dagger penetrate his skin. He closed his eyes, suddenly feeling tired and light-headed. His body slumped over and he slipped to the ground. His last thought was about how nice it would be to go into an eternal sleep.


End file.
